Southland 32 (Lambourne, James, Latu, Tuapati tries; Eade 1 conversion, 2 penalty, Dyer 2 conversion) bt Otago (Vahaakolo, Tomkinson tries; Ioane 1 conversion, 1 penalty)
Fulltime - What a performance from the home side to keep their season alive as the crowd goes wild. Form went out the window at Rugby Park in Invercargill, with the Stags putting on an inspired performance to beat table-topping Otago 32-15.
Coming into the contest everything was against Southland, who where on a five game losing streak. They hadn't beaten Otago at home since 2010 and Otago had won the last seven matches.
In a match played in front of a vocal crowd at Rugby Park in Invercargill, the Stags run-away four tries to two winners in a very entertaining contest.
After being down 15-10 at the break with Otago looking the better side, the home side came out on fire in the second-half scoring three unanswered tries to come away easy winners.
The win leaves Southland still in fifth position but moves just one point behind Taranaki in fourth place, while Otago remain at the top of the Premiership table.
Southland will travel to Pukekohe to take Counties Manukau next Friday in a match that will decide their season, while Otago returns home to take on Tasman.
79 min - Southland are on fire right now. Isaac Te Tamaki breaks clear into the Otago half before offloading to Mitch James who is brought down 5m out. Dyer goes for a cross-kick but can't find his open teammate and it goes into touch.
78 min - SOUTHLAND TRY to Telemaitoga Tuapati - Southland continues to build pressure and James breaks into Otago 22. A dumb kick from Howley has turned possession over. Otago looks to attack from their own 5m line but a great tackle forces a turnover and replacement hooker Telemaitoga Tuapati. Dyer converts the try. (SOU 32-15)
74 min - The Stags momentum continues with some great defence to win themselves a penalty. Dyer will have a shot at goal from 49m out but misses it slightly to the left.
70 min - Southland are at their best right now. Raymond Nu'u wins a turnover and breaks downfield to the Otago 22. Southland comes back wide and are throwing the ball around. The home side is hot on the attack but Chris Apoua knocks on to halt all their momentum.
68 min - All the momentum is with Southland and the crowd is getting behind them. Strong defence from the home side has forced Aleki Morris-Lome into touch on the Stags 10m line.
66 min - SOUTHLAND TRY to Tevita Latu - A strong scrum from the Stags and Liam Howley breaks off the back before putting a perfect pass to Tevita Latu who crashes over under the posts. Greg Dyer converts the try. (SOU 25-15)
64 min - Southland finally have the ball in Otago's half and look dangerous with a strong run from Matt James, he offloads to Logan Crowley but he knocks it on.
From the scrum, Otago knocks the ball on at their own 5m line.
61 min - All the momentum is with Otago with Southland struggling to get out of their own 22. From a lineout just 5m out, Otago look like they have crashed over but it's held up.
The referee will go back for a penalty and Otago will have a shot at goal to level the scores. Ioane has missed an easy kick.
59 min - Otago are hot on the attack with Southland on just holding on. Ioane puts in a kick but can't find a teammate and Southland will clear through Eade.
56 min - The game is starting to swing back in Otago's favour with the away side setting up camp in Southland's half. A strong run from substitute Aleki Morris-Lome has Otago hot on the attack but the Stags win a crucial penalty to ease the pressure.
52 min - Southland can't clear their lines from the kickoff and give away a penalty. Ioane will go for touch and give Otago a lineout 15m out.
50 min - SOUTHLAND PENALTY to Scott Eade - The Stags have continued to build pressure in the Otago half and have won a breakdown penalty from Jackson not rolling away. Eade will have a shot from 45m out to try give Southland the lead. He has nailed it. (SOU 18-15)
47 min - Otago are trying to steady the ship as they build the phases on halfway. Strong defence from the Stags but they give away a penalty. Ioane finds touch with the penalty with another shacky kick.
44 min - Another intercept from Southland but unfortunately for the Stags it's their slowest player on the field in Greg Pleasants-Tate that has intercepted it. He gets down to the 22 but at the breakdown, Otago wins a penalty to halt the momentum.
41 min - SOUTHLAND TRY to Matt James - What a start to the second half and the Stags have scored inside 30 seconds. Josh Ioane throws a terrible pass to no one. Matt James picks it up and sprints 50m to score. Eade can't convert the try. (15-15)
Second-half - Otago gets us back underway.
Halftime - A very entertaining first half in the southern derby in Invercargill has Otago in front. The match has swung backwards and forwards between the two sides played in front of a terrific atmosphere at Rugby Park. Otago finished the half strongly with a try to Sio Tomkinson to give the away side the lead at the break.
40+3 min - OTAGO TRY to Sio Tomkinson - From the scrum, Hickey takes it from the back, he committed two Southland defenders before offloading to Sio Tomkinson to crash over. Ioane converts the try to give Otago the lead at halftime. (OTG 15-10)
40 min - Try disallowed to Otago. From the scrum Josh Ioane comes back behind the scrum to the short side. As he falling over he passes to Vilimoni Koroi but the pass is forward.
Referee comes back for penalty. Otago will take another scrum.
39 min - From the scrum, Hickey's short pass goes to ground and Southland dive on it. Once again, Eade drops it in the in-goal area giving Otago a scrum 5m out.
35 min - Otago have a lineout 8m out. They work a short lineout but Jackson is forced into touch. Southland try to clear through Eade but he knocks-on in the in-goal area.
32 min - SOUTHLAND PENALTY: Scott Eade - The game is starting to swing back in the Stags favour. Crowley breaks through the heart of the Otago's defence and gets into the 22. With Otago under huge pressure, Dylan Nel gives away the penalty.
Eade will go for goal 30m out and slots it down the middle to put Southland back in front. (SOU 10-8)
29 min - Southland have a lineout 5m out. After five phases, Otago defuses the Stags attack and clear down to the 22 and Southland start their attack again.
More great defence from Otago as they win a breakdown penalty to ease the pressure that Southland was starting to build.
26 min - Greg Pleasants-Tate makes a great break down the right wing and puts an in a good kick for a hooker and forces Otago into touch.
The emotions are boiling over in this southern derby, with the fans make their voices heard and both sides involved in 'push and shove.'
25 min - Otago are dominating right now. Ioane puts in a great grubber kick, which the Stags defuse on their own line. Otago hooker Ricky Jackson gives away a penalty to ease the pressure.
22 min - Otago are setting up camp in Southland's half and the Stags are starting to give away penalties consistently. Ioane goes for touch from the penalty but he kicks it dead to continue his kicking struggles for the night.
Scrum Southland on their own 10m line.
19 min - Otago is starting to dominate and win breakdown penalty on halfway. Ioane will have a shot at goal and comes up just short. The Stags win a penalty at the breakdown and they can clear their own 22.
15 min - OTAGO TRY to Freedom Vahaakolo - From the 22m drop-out, Otago counter-attack brilliantly. Michael Collins makes a great run to start the attack getting down to the 22m line.
From the next phase, Ioane passes wide to Freedom Vahaakolo who beats three defenders to score in the corner. (OTG 8-7)
13 min - Ioane goes for goal with a tough kick from 43m out on the angle and he has a shocker with the ball only just getting off the ground.
12 min - The game is starting to swing back in Otago's favour, with the away side having a spell of possession in Southland's half. Otago win penalty on the 10m line for a high tackle.
8 min - OTAGO PENALTY: Josh Ioane - Southland are starting to build momentum and a strong run from Raymond Nu'u have the Stags on the front foot but Otago wins a breakdown penalty to halt the momentum.
Josh Ioane goes for goal and slots it off the posts and through. (SOU 7-3)
4 min - SOUTHLAND TRY to Tony Lambourne - Southland set a lineout drive and execute it perfectly. Captain Tony Lambourne crashes over to give the Stags a perfect start. Scott Eade converts from out wide. (SOU 7-0)
3 min - Southland set the lineout drive and the backs have joined to lend their weight. The maul crashes over the line but there is no clear grounding so ref has gone upstairs.
The ball has been held up but the referree has awarded a penalty for Dylan Nel joining maul incorrectly.
2 min - Logan Crowly makes a great break and gets deep into the Otago 22. At the breakdown, the Stags win a penalty and Scott Eade will go for touch.
Lineout 5m out.
KICKOFF - Southland gets us underway.
*****
7:03pm - It is a beautiful day down in the deep south in Invercargill. Let's hope for some attacking rugby.
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Kia ora, folks, and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of this Mitre 10 Cup clash between Southland and Otago.
Updates will begin from 7:05pm.
Rugby Park in Invercargill is the venue for tonight’s Championship clash between the top of the table Otago and fifth placed Southland.
Southland are looking to break a five game losing streak with their last win coming in round three against North Harbour as they continue their quest towards a playoff spot.
The Stags have made just two changes from the team that lost to Manawatū last week, with high-flying Highlanders lock Manaaki Selby-Rickit returning to the second row and Rory Van Vugt elevated to fullback.
Otago come into this contest in red-hot form on a four game win streak plus beating Canterbury last week for the first time in 15 years.
With former All Black Liam Coltman injured, Ricky Jackson moves into the starting hooker spot, with Henry Bell poised to make his Otago debut off the bench.
Midfielder Sio Tomkinson will bring up his 50th match for the province. Otago are also without Super Rugby veterans Josh Dickson at lock, Nasi Manu at No.8, Kayne Hammington at halfback and Jona Nareki on the wing.
TAB: Southland $3.75 Otago $1.24
Southland: 1-Ethan de Groot, 2-Greg Pleasants-Tate, 3-Siate Tokolahi, 4-Manaaki Selby-Rickit, 5-Mike McKee, 6-Charles Alaimalo, 7-Matt James, 8-Tony Lambourn, 9-Logan Crowley, 10-Scott Eade, 11-Tevita Latu, 12-Raymond Nu'u, 13-Isaac Te Tamaki, 14-Kieran Lee, 15-Rory Van Vugt
Reserves: 16-Telemaitoga Tuapati, 17-Joseph Walsh, 18-Chris Apoua, 19-Raymond Tatafu, 20-Jacob Coghlan, 21-Liam Howley, 22-Greg Dyer, 23-Jaye Thompson
Otago: 1-Jamie Mackintosh, 2-Ricky Jackson, 3-Josh Hohneck, 4-Jack Regan, 5-Will Tucker, 6-Charles Elton, 7-Slade McDowell, 8-Dylan Nel, 9-Jono Hickey, 10-Josh Ioane, 11-Vilimoni Koroi, 12-Sio Tomkinson, 13-Josh Timu, 14-Freedom Vahaakolo, 15-Michael Collins
Reserves: 16-Henry Bell, 17-Jonah Aoina, 18-Hisa Sasagi, 19-Josh Hill, 20-Sione Misiloi, 21-James Arscott, 22-Aleki Morris-Lome, 23-Matt Whaanga
